Page 40 - 2026-2027 Travel Guide to Canada

AB
38
4,988,181
Edmonton
www.travelalberta.com
Calgary International Airport,
18.4 km (11 mi.) from downtown
Edmonton International Airport,
30 km (19 mi.) from downtown
ALBERTA
SMUTWOOD PEAK • TRAVEL ALBERTA
Alpine Vistas,
City Sojourns and
Rural Retreats
BY SUSAN MATE
The awe-inspiring peaks of the Rocky
Mountains enthrall visitors to the province’s
west, while massive ranches and parklands
beckon to the southwest. The northern
boreal forests offer secluded hiking, paddling
and birdwatching, while the Canadian
Badlands lure visitors with its lunar-like
landscape and vast dinosaur bone beds.
Urban escape artists flock to Alberta’s two
largest cosmopolitan cities, Edmonton and
Calgary, for retail therapy, gourmet dining,
and shopping at North America’s largest
shopping and entertainment complex, West
Edmonton Mall. Smaller cities, including
The birthplace of the nation’s Wild West
cowboy culture, Alberta is blessed with
abundant wildlife, jaw-dropping scenery
and must-do adventures that run right
through all four seasons. Check out trail
rides in the Rockies, guided ice walks
through frozen waterfalls or horse-and-
buggy tours through historic towns.
Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray,
Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Airdrie, serve
as important regional hubs for shopping,
government, tourism and agriculture/
industry.
The annual Calgary Stampede celebrates
all things cowboy and rodeo early each July.
Edmonton’s K-Days follows up with a tribute
to northern Alberta’s Klondike heritage,
while dozens of other festivals across the
province celebrate Alberta’s unique pockets
of regional pride—think perogies in
Vegreville, or the beef jerky festival in
Longview.
NATURE’S WONDERLAND
Alberta has incredible national and
provincial parks across the province.
Spread across 661,848 sq. km (255,541 sq.
mi.) of pristine terrain, the five major snow
resorts and sprawling backcountry lure
powder-hounds from November to May.
Try dogsledding through the untouched
Spray Lakes valley, or lace up your skates
and make figure eights on Lake Abraham,
home to only the clearest ice skating in
Alberta. The lakes of Kananaskis Country
are a delight for ice fishing in winter and
boating, hiking and cycling in the summer.